1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for fastening or nailing sheetrock to wooden studs. More particularly, the present invention relates to an attachment for a pneumatic hammer operator which magnetically holds the head of a nail and provides a consistent dimpling stroke into the sheetrock.
2. Prior Art
It is common for gypsum wallboard or sheetrock to be nailed in place on wooden studs by hand using a conventional hammer having a rounded head. The head of the nail must be driven far enough inwardly with respect to the paper surface to create a slight indentation herein known as a dimple. The dimple provides a recess for holding a compound which completely covers and conceals the nail head. This covering provides a smooth flat surface for the application of paint or wallpaper.
The above dimpling action requires a great deal of precision by a worker. Sheetrock is fastened to the studs by means of special nails having a slightly cupped head and a tapered underneath side. The shape of the nail requires the use of a concave hammer head. A flat headed nail would break the outer paper surface of the sheetrock as would driving a nail too far inwardly.
It is common in the prior art to provide various types of attachments for use with penumatic hammer operator to drive nails into sheetrock. Heretofore, the stroke could not be regulated so there was often a tendency to break the outer paper surface. Also, the dimpling effect of various attachments is often inconsistent.
A preliminary search was conducted and the following prior art patents were uncovered: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,341,336, 3,774,293, 2,918,675, 3,765,588, 3,027,560, 4,313,552, and 3,040,327.
An improved dimpler attachment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,336 to Smith. The dimpler attachment comprises a rounded head having a central channel and an elongated driver which is received into the channel. Fasteners are fed into the channel by means of a magazine. The fastener is actually urged into the wallboard by means of an interior piston attached to the driver. The dimpling action occurs when the driver and the head are temporarily locked together.
Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,588 to Frederickson, discloses a nail feeding apparatus which is provided with a magnet fixed to a receiver plate. The purpose of the Frederickson patent is to hold a nail in a proper position to be struck by a reciprocating plunger which acts as a hammer. This device provides no dimpling action and is not intended for use in affixing sheetrock to wooden studs.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,293 to Golsch, the fastener driving tool disclosed is similar to the Smith patent. The Golsch patent also utilizes a piston driven plunger no driver to urge a nail into sheetrock. The dimpling tool in U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,327 to Michel is adapted for use with U-shaped fasteners and is somewhat cumbersome to use.
No prior art patent discloses a magnetic hammer head which provides the dimpling action itself. No prior art reference uses a plastic shield about the head to produce a consistent dimpling action from nail to nail by precise stroke length control.